Horse Behavior Problems

 

Humans rarely acknowledge or take a moment to step back and assess all the potential ways their communication with the horse has continuously taught the animal to be defensive and distrustful. Then they get upset when the horse can no longer comply.

It should not be seen as "normal" for the horse to display any of the behaviors above.

Quality Horsemanship is a skill that must be learned, practiced, and refined- continuously.

Understanding horse behavior is a skill. As is being able to adapt in the moment to addressing and helping the individual horse.

Following some random pre-designed "Horsemanship" step 1, 2, 3 "program" or method doesn't mean there human or horse has increased clarity or quality in the interaction if there is no common language (or are fear based interactions.)

If you don't understand how to translate the horse's unwanted behaviors by breaking them down to discover the root source(s) of his concern, how could you help him work through them?

20 Horse Health Questions every Equine Owner should be Asing

 20 Horse Health Tips, Questions & Assessment

Below are some basic questions to ask in regard to your horse’s health.

I suggest keeping a horse health journal making note of diet changes, farrier care, odd behaviors, etc. It can be used as a future reference point to learn from and find what works best for the horse.

Taking pictures from both profiles, front, and rear every six months can also be a good reference.

For those who experience dramatic seasons and environmental changes and for those who have had the same horse(s) for a long time, patterns often occur out of convenience in the horse’s maintenance program.

Horse Learning- Mindset adjustment

 There comes a point... 

Horse Tack Fit Issues and Problems

Tack fit... or perhaps I should say Mis-Fit.
Probably ranking in the Top 3 challenges faced by riders. It is a major contributor to unwanted experiences in the equine partnership. Below are just a few of the undesirable consequences...

Pushy, Anticipative, Fearful, Fleeing, Reactive Horse Behavior

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

Tips for how to translate pushy, anticipative, fearful, and reactive horse behavior to search for the root causes behind these dangerous equine.

Are you blaming your horse for unwanted behaviors? Most equine enthusiasts try to control, block, or stop the animal's movement which creates one unwanted response evolving into another resistant behavior.

Click the linklink to watch on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel.

New videos posted every Friday.

 

 

Tips for Improving Horse Skills, Time Perceptions & Decreasing Unwanted Behaviors

 Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series
Horse Tips: Problem Behaviors and Learning Opportunities

Fixing Dangerous and Unwanted Horse Behavior by Alternative Horsemanship

Horses don't just "do" that... 

What if we recognized and addressed the initial signs of concerned, fearful, or defensive equine behaviors before they erupted into things like:
Bucking
Bolting
Kicking
Spooking
"Over-reaction"
Biting
Fixating
Fleeing movement
Biting at the Air
Pawing
Jigging
Stomping
Weaving
and so many other moments that far too many riders respond to with, "Oh, he just does that, he's being a ____."

Behaviors Sabotaging the Human and Horse Partnership

What is the most common issue I see sabotaging the human & horse partnership?
Containment

I define it as:

When a person is physically trying to "stop" an unwanted equine behavior, which is usually the symptom and not the underlying "issue," without acknowledging and addressing all the constant equine communication reflecting holes in the horse's education or understanding.

Horses and Training Approaches Helping or Hurting the Equine Partnership?

What is the most common issue I see sabotaging the human & horse partnership?
Containment
I define it as: When a person is physically trying to "stop" an unwanted equine behavior, which is usually the symptom and not the underlying "issue," without acknowledging and addressing all the constant equine communication reflecting holes in the horse's education or understanding.
How many times have you heard things like:
Block the horse's __...
Don't let him __...
Make him _...
When a person attempts to block, hold, or "drive" a horse they are addressing the horse's physical movement.
His movement reflects his thought, such as:
The scenario is creating stress or pressure so he protects himself with run/bolt/spook...

Unwanted Horse Behavior Help

Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach shares insight into breaking down contributing factors leading to unwanted horse behaviors like difficult to catch, tack, lead, stand, mount, trailer loading, etc. Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series Unwanted Horse Behaviors

New videos posted every Friday on the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel

Unwanted Horse Behavior and Sleep Deprivation

 Alternative Horsemanship the Remote Horse Coach shares insight into sleep deprivation and unwanted horse behaviors.

The Human Agenda & Horse Problems

 The Human Agenda can often create blinders towards the Horse's Communication for so many who interact with equines.

Deconstructing The Horse's Spook * Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

Deconstructing The Horse's Spook

Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series

Addressing the Human Consideration, Quality of Communication, and how the Horse's Mental and Emotional state influences his Physical behaviors.

Subscribe to the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel for more horse learning

Pressure and Release Re-Educating Horse that Bucks by Alternative Horsem...

This mare has a history of bucking (and a very traumatic past,) so part of her re-education is to assume nothing and rebuild from the ground up. I thought I'd share a short clip of what preparing a horse to be saddled looks like for me. In this case, I'm looking for feedback from the horse as to what may be triggering her anticipation, physical tension, or mental avoidance. This is the first time we did this. Practice first noticing how many different forms of pressure are being presented. Assess the horse's focus, breathing, movement, the stance at the halt, etc. Watch for how she interacts with my communication. What do you see? Everything is a learning opportunity if you commit to seeing beyond the superficial "obedient goal" and search for quality interactions. **Please do NOT go and randomly try this at home- you and your horse could easily and quickly get into a wreck if you haven't established the fundamentals that go into the "bigger picture."

Horse Training: Illusions & Misperceptions

 The Illusion of "Horse Training" 

One of the greatest negative contributors in the horse industry (to both the human and horse) is the misperception of "Horse Training."